STRIKERS ENERGIES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1900, 7 November 1913, Page 8

STRIKERS ENERGIES.

ALLEGED OUTLET FOR THEM. An appeal statement issued bv the Strike Committee yestorday reads as follows:— "The trouble now seems to be that the strikers' energies are mainly de-; voted to keeping the general public from attacking the special constables in the streets, as was demonstrated in Oeurtenny Place yesterday. But for t'he Waterside Workers' Band and the officials of the union there Would have been very heavy .casualties. Tho band kept on playing all the time to attract the attention of the public, and many of the waterside workers did all they could to prevent people who were not members of tho union from doing damage to the specials. A most remarkable feature was that while the public hooted and atoned the specials they cheered the regulars, _iv.ho reciprocated tho greetings, and lifted their hats. We have had a number of letters from men in the barracks in which they have made it perfectly clear that they have been brought down under false pretence. The most misleading statemeitts have befii made tot'hom to induce -tihem to come to Wellington. Some of them were told that the waterside workers were throwing their produce into the harbour, and murdering aiid garrotting people and generally terrorising the community of Wellington. We are of opinion that. if this matter Was put before these farmers and their sons that- they would immediately return to their homjss and so settle the present dispute. "So long as these men remain in town so long will tho shipping combines maintain their attitude regarding the Arbitration Act, which to us is an absolutely unacceptable 'solution of tho difficulty. •"'Die men are willing to go biick to work under the present conditions with freedom of notion and guarantee and assurance that work wil) be carried on continuously and peacefully. They have had fiftee i yen's' experience of the Arbitration system and its long delays in settling disputes, tfnder tho regime of the Arbitration Court the men were victimised, in. eases which eauld have been settled between tho employer and the employee. Very often the Court was called upon to deal with a dispute when the ship which _ was concerned had left the port, and it was not possible to get evidence. Tli© result was that men were thrown out of their emplevriveiit a« soon as thoy made a complaint or threatened to bring a case beforo a Magistrate. This state of affairs they will net again tolerate, As far as tho Arbitration Aei is concerned it is 110 guarantee of industrial pew, as is instanced bjrt the number of Arbitration unions that are. out at the present time—the Grovinouth water&iders, the. Brmviw miners, and numerous others.

"To return to tho special constables, we are satisfied that tho solution of the difficulty they have caused can he left iu tlio hands of the general public, who b.v their conduct yc'sterda.v clearly showed resentment at their presence in this pity."

A meeting of the Wangantii branch' of Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants last night resolved that tlm executive sliouli wait on the Prime Jljnistor, and endeavour to bring about a settlement of tho strike. It was- also resolved that, in tho interests _of tho wives and eliildren of the strikers ..a lerv of 5" per cent, until tlio strike is '>i made. —Frees Assocto-